White balance shifting (Nikon D300)

fenwick-dad

While shooting at an volleyball game, I saw my white balance shift all over the map. I was not using the auto-white balance, but the fluorescent setting. Every other image looked different. Is this a dirty sensor? HELP ME PLEASE!!!!

adbsgicom

Was there outside light spilling into certain parts of the gym? I ended up using AWB for a game because of exactly that issue.

fenwick-dad

adbsgicom wrote:

Was there outside light spilling into certain parts of the gym? I ended up using AWB for a game because of exactly that issue.

The game was last night, so no outside sun. I have also seen this happen at other night activities. My Friday night football pictures all had to be edited after the game.

adbsgicom

fenwick-dad wrote:

The game was last night, so no outside sun. I have also seen this happen at other night activities. My Friday night football pictures all had to be edited after the game.

I assume you either had no flash or something reliably bouncing when you shot; no variance in color sources.

I guess in theory, if your shutter speed were fast enough, you might be catching some of the natural variance in the lights themselves.

Edit: Ps, you pictures aren't showing up in your post. Make sure you have external links enabled.

fenwick-dad

adbsgicom wrote:

I assume you either had no flash or something reliably bouncing when you shot; no variance in color sources.

I guess in theory, if your shutter speed were fast enough, you might be catching some of the natural variance in the lights themselves.

Edit: Ps, you pictures aren't showing up in your post. Make sure you have external links enabled.

I don't know how to change the external links settings, but I do have the

angevin1

Put that thing on Auto WB and enjoy...~

ElginetPhotos

angevin1 wrote:

Put that thing on Auto WB and enjoy...~

Expodisc! It's hard to get into the habit of using it.......but what a lot of PP hassle it saves!

jfriend

fenwick-dad wrote:

While shooting at an volleyball game, I saw my white balance shift all over the map. I was not using the auto-white balance, but the fluorescent setting. Every other image looked different. Is this a dirty sensor? HELP ME PLEASE!!!!

Some types of lighting changes it's color balance constantly through the 60Hz electric cycle. Our eye sees only an average color, but a fast shutter speed can capture this variable color differently depending upon where in the cycle the image happens. This results in highly inconsistent color from one image to the next. The only solutions I know of are to use a very slow shutter speed (usually not practical) or to add your own illumination to overpower the varying color (usually flash).

pathfinder

Shooting under fluorescent lights in gymnasiums, one soon learns that shutter speeds shorter than 1/60th or so, the color balance varies all over the map - red tones, green tones, etc.

Try to keep your shutter open at least 1/60th of sec. At 1/125th you will begin to see the color variations usually.

Oh - you're shooting sports and want to shoot at 1/300th? Welcome to modern technology! Maybe a faster lens and a higher ISO?